British Tour de France reigning champion Chris Froome will be riding in L’Étape Australia by le Tour de France in the NSW Snowy Mountains on 3 December 2016.

Chris Froome, OBE has been appointed L’Étape Australia’s Pro Mentor; he will mentor the amateur racers and riders, providing tips on training for the event, racing tactics, riding safely in packs, breakaways and the physical and mental attributes required to continually improve.

Froome will be holding a series of clinics and rides before L’Étape Australia gets underway on December 3, then he will ride from the back of the pack through to the front along the 157km mountainous route.

NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events and Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres said: “Chris Froome is a legend of world cycling, and I am thrilled that we will be seeing him at L’ Étape Australia later this year.

“It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for participants to ride alongside a Tour de France Champion, and I encourage everyone to register for the event today. The event has been secured for the Snowy Mountains by the NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.”

SBS Director of Sport Ken Shipp said: “Australians right now are watching Chris Froome light up the race on screen in the Tour de France’s 26th year of being broadcast on SBS. His official inclusion in L’Étape Australia is fantastic and SBS is proud to play a part in bringing the Tour de France experience to the passionate Australian cycling community.”

L’Étape Australia organiser Simon Baggs said: “Dual Tour de France champion Chris Froome is the biggest name in world cycling. Having him mentor the riders and ride with them on the route is a fantastic development for L’Étape Australia.”

Held on fully closed roads, L’Étape Australia is run under professional race conditions for amateur riders, complete with the quintessential Tour de France elements of the Sprint and King of the Mountain sections. There are two races available to entrants – the Race and the Ride.

The ultimate challenge of L’Étape Australia, the Race, covers 157km which includes the difficult Col de Beloka and finishes with the demanding Col de Kosciuszko final climb, taking the route to a peak of 1,735m.

The Ride is a shorter version of the Race; the Ride is for those who wish to immerse themselves in the atmosphere and experience of L’Étape without the added pressure of the final Col de Kosciuszko climb. At 126km an a peak of 1,300m the Ride is still a significant challenge.

Tourism Snowy Mountains is an independent, not-for-profit organisation recognised by Snowy Monaro Regional Council and Destination NSW as the official Tourism Organisation for the Snowy Mountains and surrounding regions including all of the towns and villages of the Monaro with their rich history and diverse experiences. Its Board of Directors is comprised of representatives of Snowy Monaro Regional Council, the major resorts, NPWS, Snowy Hydro and independent skills based individuals selected by and independent selection panel.

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